The wife of a preacher who is facing indictment for violating the terms of his sex offender registry made an obscene gesture to reporters as the couple left court Tuesday morning.
Edward Lamar Hughes and his wife did not respond to questions about his latest brush with the law, which happened in January when police arrested him for returning to the pulpit of a church where he sexually assaulted a young boy in 2005.
During his first appearance Tuesday on two charges of violating the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry law, Mr. Hughes waived his right to a preliminary court hearing. As a result, a Hamilton County General Sessions judge sent the two charges to the grand jury.
Mr. Hughes’ defense attorney, Myrlene Marsa, said after the court appearance that authorities have a video of Mr. Hughes preaching at the church. She declined to comment further.
As a condition of Mr. Hughes’ registry on the sex offenders list, police had forbidden him from leading a church, coming in contact with juveniles or obtaining employment near a school.